Pakistan test-launched an extended-range version of its Fatah-II missile on 13 October 2026. The missile has a stated range of up to 400 kilometres. The launch was attended by Lieutenant General Nauman Zakaria, Commander of the Army Rocket Force Command, as well as senior military officers, scientists and engineers.
Test and reported capabilities
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistan’s armed forces, stated that the extended-range Fatah-II has advanced navigation and avionics. It is described as capable of engaging targets with high precision and overcoming missile defence systems through its trajectory and manoeuvrability. These are stated capabilities; the supplied facts do not specify the test’s flight distance or accuracy results.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, and service chiefs congratulated the teams involved in the test.
Missile classification and range
A ballistic missile follows a trajectory governed mainly by gravity after its powered flight phase. A range of up to 400 kilometres places the Fatah-II within the short-range ballistic missile category under commonly used classifications, which generally define that category as missiles with ranges below 1,000 kilometres. Classification thresholds can vary between references.
Avionics are electronic systems used for functions such as navigation, guidance and control. Missile guidance systems help direct a weapon towards a target, while manoeuvrability refers to its capacity to alter its flight path.
Fatah-II development timeline
The Fatah-II was first test-fired on 27 December 2023, with a reported range of 400 kilometres. The Pakistan Army Rocket Force Command conducted a training test launch on 28 April 2026, described as the first such launch after the system was upgraded from a rocket to a missile. The 13 October 2026 test involved an extended-range version.
Important Facts for Exams
- The Inter-Services Public Relations is the media wing of Pakistan’s armed forces.
- The Army Rocket Force Command is the Pakistani military formation associated with the Fatah-II test launches.
- Ballistic missiles follow a gravity-influenced trajectory after the powered phase of flight.
- Short-range ballistic missile classifications commonly cover ranges below 1,000 kilometres, although definitions vary.
The Fatah-II has a reported range of up to 400 kilometres. Its initial test launch took place on 27 December 2023.
